Education blog

Jordanian Prime Minister Samir Rifai reshuffled his government on Wednesday with key portfolios of interior, finance and foreign affairs unchanged, said official sources.

In the first reshuffle since the government’s formation in December 2009, seven new ministers entered the cabinet and two incumbent ministers changed portfolios.

A Royal Decree issued by King Abdullah II of Jordan on Wednesday approved the cabinet reshuffle, the state-run Petra news agency reported. The ministers were sworn in before the king at Raghadan Palace.

Rifai, a 43-year-old former Royal Court minister who hails from a long line of family of statesmen, appointed new ministers of tourism, education, agriculture, justice, labor and information.

President of University of Jordan Khalid Karaki was named as deputy prime minister and minister of education.

Jordan’s Minister of Information and Communications Affairs Nabil Sharif was replaced by Jordan’s ambassador in Israel Ali Ayed.

Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Maha Khatib was replaced by Suzan Afaneh, a former presenter at Jordan Television and head of communications department at Zain Telecom Company in Jordan.

Suheir Al Ali, a former minister of planning and international cooperation, was appointed as minister of state.

Mazen Khasawneh was appointed as minister of agriculture, replacing outgoing minister Saeed Masri.

Hesham Al Tal was named as justice minister, replacing outgoing Justice Minister Ayman Oudeh.

Samir Murad was named as minister of labor, replacing Ibrahim Omoush who was named as minister of state for prime ministry affairs and legal affairs.

Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Tawfiq Kreishan changed portfolio to minister of parliamentary affairs.

Cabinet reshuffles are common in Jordan, but Wednesday’s was the first under Prime Minister Samir Rifai, who had pledged to fight corruption and carry out reforms when took office last December.